POD to ebook?

[dickloraine]

Okay, I didn't understand all of what you said. But if you sell your ebook between I think 2.99 and 9.99 you get 70% of the price. Sales are normally something you want to have, but I don't know, if you even get into one, if you don't choose to be in the kindle program. You have then complete control. Even if you go into kindle exclusive, you can opt out after a few month. By the way, you would nearly get your 7$ if you sell for 9.99. In print different rules apply, specifically if you want to be in b&m stores (that's where the 55% come into play, that is the margin of the store).

Of course try it if you want, but be aware that you are then directly accountable if you screw up.

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by HarryT

Trust me: nobody is going to spend $20 on an eBook from an unknown author; that's a ridiculously high price. I'm not surprised you're not selling any in paper form if that's the price you're charging!

Indeed. I hate to rain on your parade, Tiamat, but Harry's correct. You say it's a scientific, one-of-a-kind book, and if that's right, then you'll get your $20--but not right out of the gate. There's an unyielding resistance among eBook buyers on pricing. Even for renowned authors and experts, there's a price resistance at $9.99. For unknowns? For unknowns, without any reviews, comments, etc., I'd say that you'd be lucky to get $5.99. If that.

Originally Posted by Tiamat

Seven Dollars. Doesn't seem much to me for a scientific one of a kind book. It costs $20 for a printed book and they recommend 55%+ just for someone to do the transaction. Seems a bit steep to me, it took years and years to research and put together the concept.

I see this from authors a lot--"hey, it took me XXX months/years/decades to write this book, these people should pay for my time." Unfortunately, the reality is that even though you may spend five years of your life writing it, it's still only worth what people will pay. They'll assess your writing, your verbiage, your command of the vernacular, and they'll evaluate your ideas and concepts. Then, they'll decide what they are willing to pay. I hate to say it, I do, but I think you should prepare for very slow sales--if any at all--at $20.

As an analogy: I love fashion design. I could sit down at a sewing machine and come up with a gown. I could spend six months on it. And I could put it up for sale on Amazon. You know what it would be worth? MAYBE $50.00. Why? Because I'm a crap seamstress. It doesn't matter if I put in 700+ hours creating the dress; because the workmanship wouldn't be good enough. The same thing happens with hundreds, thousands, and hundred-thousands of books. I know this because I see them. Many of them.

I have never read a book yet, out of hundreds, that retailed for under $10. In a figure of speech. Lots of the 125 year old books only cost $5 back then and maybe a couple of paperbacks.

Well, I have thousands of books in my home. Literally. I stopped counting at 3,000. I have fiction and non-fiction. I can readily admit that the vast majority of the fiction library were under $10.00. Not in non-fiction so much; but still. Like all voracious readers, I price-shopped.

I don't understand the concept of $1 books and Amazon wants 70 cents out of it?

If you price the book at $0.99USD, yes; it's 35% (to you) and 65% to Amazon. After all, they are making, literally, pennies off a book priced that way. However, you are playing (selling) in their sandbox. Their website, which is supported by millions of dollars of customer service, order personnel, web designers, etc. You couldn't pay enough to have a competitive website, with their kind of foot traffic. So, of course, they want more than $0.33 when you sell a book, using all of their bandwidth, website, ads, mailers, newsletters, promos, etc.

I would doubt if they hold onto the $ for 30 days... Yeah, make interest off of everyone's money that must be a good kick back. That's like those employers that only pay you every two weeks or more.

How would you propose that they pay? Every day? Every sale? That's crazy talk. Once a month makes sense. Hell, if you think Amazon is unfair, try Apple. They won't send you bupkus until you hit $500 in sales.

I use to have to wait months to get paid as a contractor. They want everything now and then drag their feet to pay you.

Same thing, if you mean a construction contractor. Only sane way to pay, at the end of the month. Otherwise, you'd go insane. (I used to build hotels, before the life I have now.)

Why not just tell me how to waste my time setting it up and then I'll find out the hard way? Hey, what could happen, I'll fail and have to succumb to highway robbery and practically give it away and be bound by an open ended contract (You do know what that means don't you?) and being electronic and people's attitude that will just download it for free. Oh, but I can write 10 more and then I'll deserve to profit after becoming a career author that millions read. I just want to give it a whirl, ya'll are no fun.

Knock yourself out. However, you might want to consider that the people you speak with here are highly representative of most voracious eBook readers.

Originally Posted by dickloraine

Okay, I didn't understand all of what you said. But if you sell your ebook between I think 2.99 and 9.99 you get 70% of the price. <snip>
Of course try it if you want, but be aware that you are then directly accountable if you screw up.

Yup. Between $2.99 and $9.99 = 70% to the publisher/author.

I'd note, though, for @Tiamat, that you should compare what royalties would be, from a proper publisher, before you complain about only getting a buck or two. Trust me, evne if Random House published your book, you'd earn a boatload less than you will if you price the book at, say, $5.99 and take 70% of that.

Best of luck.

Hitch

[Tiamat]

Dickloraine – I'm very happy someone understood the $7, reminds me of that movie Payback where Mel has to repeatedly correct the mobsters. You almost got me talked into it, but $10 for an ebook seems high to me... No? See, if I sell it myself it will be $7 to the customer and that sounds reasonable to me. I would pay that much without thinking, that is if I read ebooks which I don't. I like 140 year old books but Optical Character Recognition makes the Paperwhite I got when it first came out useless, haven't read one book on it. Plus, to me, with this new to me negative attitude toward Intellectual Property, that people would likely pay $7, but if it was $10 it would more likely be torrented.

I don't understand this:
“Sales are normally something you want to have, but I don't know, if you even get into one, if you don't choose to be in the kindle program. You have then complete control. Even if you go into kindle exclusive, you can opt out after a few month.”

General – I understand the concerns and the integrity of the people here, that's why I'm here... So, what should I do? Sign the scary contract and (try to) sell it for $9.99 on Amazon? And I only have to get one (edited) version of Mobi right? Or will they do it? I have shied away (Or completely stopped because they won't tell more unless I agree.) from the contract, but heard they convert it into their format...? Is this what I don't understand of the quote above? The contract expires in a couple of months if I end up not liking the deal? See, I don't know, there is a lot of legal crap in there.

What about Shop Integrator? Is there something better? What else should I know? Price talk and prestige talk is find, but that isn't what I'm asking for. The way I see it the most famed author out there selling the most books is not the type of book that I read and probably never will, it just isn't interesting to me. Maybe I should just give up, I am a bit concerned about the tax issue of global commerce and maybe falling into a goof up like Tommy Chong selling glassware to Pennsylvania, as it could very well be illegal in some countries so a buffer maybe welcome. Then again can I sell them (both ebook and paper) on my site AND Amazon at the same time? Yes, I know your not legal counsel, give me your best shot. Actually I could be writing at least one more if not two more books, but they will be scathing and then move on to something else. I didn't want to be an author in the first place, I just ran into something very interesting while doing private entertainment research is all.

I just read the article on Hitch's site about spelling and other minor problems in books... interesting. But, reminds me of something else about scary contracts and Intellectual Property, once it is in Amazon's domain won't it be wholesale-ly open to Look Inside features, public library distribution, and Google scans... I know patent rights much better, but it seems like the whole lot of intellectual property has been thrown right out the window. From what I gather the younger generation believes in socialism or communism where in they believe they have as much rights as the producer. BTW, I wanted my book in public libraries, but found out they want an exclusive three month before publishing look (Which I was unaware of.) or get lost attitude.

[dickloraine]

I didn't really mean you should sell it for 9.99, just that you would make at that price as much money as with your 20$ book. Selecting a price is difficult and without data even more. What you make is (profit per book) x (books sold). And you generally sell more books at a lower price. So there is a theoretical sweet point, but it is different for each book and time.

What I meant with you want to be in sales is, that sales are promotions. You are more visible for a short period of time and hopefully gain some traction.

I don't publish, so I only know what I read, but there are different contracts. One is the kindle exclusive one. Then you are only allowed to sell through Amazon. You get some benefits, like sales and other promotions and your book is in the kindle unlimited subscription service. That contract you can terminate after 90 days. If you don't go exclusive, you can sell where ever you want. There could be some catch like you aren't allowed to charge more than on amazon or that they can price match other vendors. I don't know the exact terms. Generally speaking: you won't get a contract as good as amazons with any big publisher out there (but amazon of course doesn't do anything a publisher does for you).

Amazon takes care what file to send to the customer. They accept a bunch of sources, word, epub and mobi.


Don't know what look inside has to do with piracy. It is just a preview. Even Google scans respect your ip outside fair use (and they scanned paper books). Don't know what ocr has to do with ebooks you buy from Amazon.

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by Tiamat

Dickloraine – I'm very happy someone understood the $7, reminds me of that movie Payback where Mel has to repeatedly correct the mobsters. You almost got me talked into it, but $10 for an ebook seems high to me... No?

Sorry...I literally can't understand what you are saying. I realize that forum posts aren't book-text, but could you slow down and explain what you're saying a bit better? Most of this reads like stream-of-consciousness stuff, and I can't parse it.

See, if I sell it myself it will be $7 to the customer and that sounds reasonable to me. I would pay that much without thinking, that is if I read ebooks which I don't.

OK, so...what's the problem, then?

I like 140 year old books but Optical Character Recognition makes the Paperwhite I got when it first came out useless, haven't read one book on it.

Do ou mean that you'll only read them if they are out of copyright, in the PD, and you can scan them? Most books, these days, are available for purchase. Why haven't you tried Project Gutenberg, or the MR library here, if you're seeking older, OOP books?

Nor do I understand what on earth you mean when you say "Optical Character Recognition makes the Paperwhite I got when it first came out useless, "

Hunh? Why do you think that? I read PD stuff on mine, and my Voyage, all the time. Same rendering system. ???

Plus, to me, with this new to me negative attitude toward Intellectual Property, that people would likely pay $7, but if it was $10 it would more likely be torrented.

If you mean, your book will be stolen and torrented, due to a $3 difference, you're not correct. If your book is any good at all, it will be torrented. People who will pay $7 for it, would likely pay $10. Those who will steal it, will steal it. If it were priced at $100, sure, that would increase bit-torrenting, but seriously, the average Joe doesn't even know how to navigate Pirate Bay or its brother sites.

I don't understand this:
“Sales are normally something you want to have, but I don't know, if you even get into one, if you don't choose to be in the kindle program. You have then complete control. Even if you go into kindle exclusive, you can opt out after a few month.”

I now officially don't understand any part of that discussion.

General – I understand the concerns and the integrity of the people here, that's why I'm here... So, what should I do? Sign the scary contract and (try to) sell it for $9.99 on Amazon?

What "scary" contract? It's not that horrible, I've read it top-bottom, just so I can discuss things with my clients. If you're thinking of trying to make money with it, you need to either have a heavily, heavily trafficked website, or sell on Amazon. There really isn't any viable third option.

And I only have to get one (edited) version of Mobi right? Or will they do it?

If you go through Createspace, you can have them make a Kindle version for you for something like $79. I strongly urge you to shop around on the Net, becaues I've gained a TON of clients because their Createspace created versions were AWFUL. If you have ANY complex things in your book--so, anything that's more than fiction--find a commercial bookmaker to do it.

I have shied away (Or completely stopped because they won't tell more unless I agree.)

WHAT are you talking about? The entire contract and delivery system for Amazon is completely, totally available online. What "more" are you asking, that you think that they are withholding?

from the contract, but heard they convert it into their format...?

You know...you haven't done ANY research at all, or you'd know all this. Amazon will "convert" your file--whatever you upload at the KDP--into MOBI, but you really don't want to do that unless you have a PRISTINE, fully-styled Word file, or an equally good ePUB file. It's an "automagic" conversion. A real person doesn't do it. So, it's What You Put In Is What You Get.

Is this what I don't understand of the quote above? The contract expires in a couple of months if I end up not liking the deal? See, I don't know, there is a lot of legal crap in there.

Back to the "you haven't done any research." KDP Select is a program for marketing, in which you agree to sell solely on the KDP for a whopping 90 days. However, the regular KDP contracts commits you to nothing more than, you can't sell the same book for less somewhere else, or they'll price-match. That's it.

What about Shop Integrator? Is there something better? What else should I know?

Shop Integrator is simply a commerce cart. You need to find one that will work with YOUR website, rather than finding a cart, and trying to retroactively fit it to your website. What you need to know about selling from your own website, you can only learn by experience. I have tried to warn those who think about this, about all the pitfalls, but I sense that you're better at learning the hard way. Doing many of the things you are discussing--like setting up an online shop/cart--requires patience and the willingness to read material in DETAIL. You don't seem to have detail-fu, to be honest.

You might want to read THIS, too: http://www.booknook.biz/platforms-re...my-own-website

Price talk and prestige talk is find, but that isn't what I'm asking for. The way I see it the most famed author out there selling the most books is not the type of book that I read and probably never will, it just isn't interesting to me.

Okay? And..?

Maybe I should just give up, I am a bit concerned about the tax issue of global commerce and maybe falling into a goof up like Tommy Chong selling glassware to Pennsylvania, as it could very well be illegal in some countries so a buffer maybe welcome.

What? I don't know what country you're in, but the "tax issue" is hardly brain-surgery. You make income from books. You pay taxes to your country of residence. It's no different than, say, taking a job cutting grass. Same thing. The "international" aspects are pretty non-existent. The Chong thing was about DISTRIBUTING DRUG PARAPHERNALIA. Unless your "book" is selling Oxycontin online, you're safe.

Then again can I sell them (both ebook and paper) on my site AND Amazon at the same time?

Yes, as long as you are NOT in KDP Select, which is 100% optional.

Yes, I know your not legal counsel, give me your best shot.

I ran the Litigation Strategy crew, at my company, for decades. Not a lawyer, but you don't have to be to read Amazon's contract. You can sell it from your website, but you must not sell it at a lower price than it is selling upon Amazon, that's all. And, as I said, if you are in KDP Select, then, no; you are prohibited from that for 90 days. Period.

Actually I could be writing at least one more if not two more books, but they will be scathing and then move on to something else. I didn't want to be an author in the first place, I just ran into something very interesting while doing private entertainment research is all.

Right.

I just read the article on Hitch's site about spelling and other minor problems in books... interesting.

Make sure you read this page: https://kdp.amazon.com/help?topicId=A1MMQ0JHRBEINX . that has a more-complete list on this breaking news.

But, reminds me of something else about scary contracts and Intellectual Property, once it is in Amazon's domain won't it be wholesale-ly open to Look Inside features, public library distribution, and Google scans...

What? The Look Inside presents the first 10% of your book. That's all. If you mean, can Google or whomever, derive the content from that--the answer is no, they can't. That's a programmatic limitation. Don't believe me? Open up any book on the LookInside, and try to extract the content.

I know patent rights much better, but it seems like the whole lot of intellectual property has been thrown right out the window. From what I gather the younger generation believes in socialism or communism where in they believe they have as much rights as the producer. BTW, I wanted my book in public libraries, but found out they want an exclusive three month before publishing look (Which I was unaware of.) or get lost attitude.

There is definitely a different view of IP today. However, how do you expect to get your book out there, otherwise? And what's the deal with the 90-day exclusive? Where'd you get that? There are library distribution networks in place, if you sign up with one of the better distributors. Even for eBooks.

Originally Posted by dickloraine

I didn't really mean you should sell it for 9.99, just that you would make at that price as much money as with your 20$ book. Selecting a price is difficult and without data even more. What you make is (profit per book) x (books sold). And you generally sell more books at a lower price. So there is a theoretical sweet point, but it is different for each book and time.

Right.


Well, I don't know if that helps you, but...if you're going to be a publisher, then all the work is yours. That includes reading contracts and terms&conditions.

Good luck to you.

Hitch

[Tiamat]

Dickloraine – Got me, I set it up the best I could, split it in thirds, seemed fair. And it happened to be about seven dollars and the book is basically about sevens. Yes, cheap more sales. I also don't understand hype, I can watch a thousand Pepsi commercials and use Coke every time with bourbon. A huge crowd could all jump up and down and order a Jack and Pepsi and I'll order what I like. Yes, I know it is 'them' who buy and who cares what I think. It is eight months old, are you saying it doesn’t matter you only get the Andy Warhol fifteen minutes once and one should give them away for a time to generate hype and people who really wouldn’t read your book will because everyone else seems to be?

I'm totally on my own, hey I figure why not just stay that way. I'm really good at rolling sevens when told it is the right time, learned from one of the best backgammon players.

Hitch – Why so abrasive? You obviously know your business, I'm new to this, sort of. I was just asking how to do this, thought you all would point me in the right direction and figure it out. Amazon has plenty of money, what's wrong with instructing me a bit on how to sell my book myself online? See, I don't see why we are discussing something totally different. Not that I don't appreciate the input , I'm sure you have plenty to learn from.

I was talking about not getting anymore information from Amazon beyond the contract... I read enough of it to know I'm not sure you understand it either. It is open ended : they and they only can change the rules any time they want and it is up for you to read and understand all the updates to said contract endlessly. This is like playing with a little kid making up the rules to the card game as you go. Ask your attorney, if I'm wrong you can make me feel like I'm on defense for asking for information.

I don't know what PD is... https://archive.org/ when I pick a 1880 scholarly book it has major problems like not being able to distinguish between the text and the foot notes, and words like 000098100000B, maybe this is what Amazon is tired of aka people selling stuff that is no good.

Doesn't Createspace use OCR?PD? I think they do, why would you send me there? eschwartz said to learn html and other stuff, which I have a lot better understanding of now. Optical Recognition doesn't understand words that aren’t in dictionaries per se, it is impossible. It is going to put out the digits alike I already demonstrated.

Library : it is from many sources, I can't recall... Library review board... Oh, if you sign in on amazon you can basically jump around all you want (depending on how the contract floats around) and extract information from just about any book, I've done it many times, mainly because I may really want to read it as a real paper book, but can't afford them all and it helps on prudence.

[dickloraine]

It is very difficult to follow your thoughts. And to be true: You have a lot of opinions based on very little understanding of what you are talking about. Download a public domain books from this very site and you will get a very nice one , because people spend time and effort to create them.

Your examples are all a bit off. You understand that even if you don't like Pepsi, you nonetheless know it exists? Commercials are not brainwashing , ;

Is this ability to roll sevens a figure of speech or do you truly believe to have such a skill?

Regarding amazon, hitch has said everything much clearer than I and with actual practical experience.

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by Tiamat

Dickloraine – Got me, I set it up the best I could, split it in thirds, seemed fair. And it happened to be about seven dollars and the book is basically about sevens. Yes, cheap more sales. I also don't understand hype, I can watch a thousand Pepsi commercials and use Coke every time with bourbon. A huge crowd could all jump up and down and order a Jack and Pepsi and I'll order what I like. Yes, I know it is 'them' who buy and who cares what I think. It is eight months old, are you saying it doesn’t matter you only get the Andy Warhol fifteen minutes once and one should give them away for a time to generate hype and people who really wouldn’t read your book will because everyone else seems to be?

I think you are grossly misunderstanding, and completely deriding, the readers that use Amazon for their books. They're not all cattle. If they were, Indy authors wouldn't even get a fingertip in the door. I have clients selling $80K/month on Amazon. $10-12K/month. INDIES. So...those cattle must have minds of their own, somehow.

Hitch – Why so abrasive?

First, this isn't abrasive. Trust me, if you've seen me lose my cool, here on MR--THAT's abrasive. I simply become vexed with people that rant about Amazon, or anything else, when they obviously haven't done the research. You haven't. That's not opinion--it's demonstrated fact. You've gone on and on about the KDP Select program, without understanding that it's utterly and completely optional. And some of your other comments, as well.

You obviously know your business, I'm new to this, sort of. I was just asking how to do this, thought you all would point me in the right direction and figure it out. Amazon has plenty of money, what's wrong with instructing me a bit on how to sell my book myself online? See, I don't see why we are discussing something totally different. Not that I don't appreciate the input , I'm sure you have plenty to learn from.

Wait...you think that we should instruct you on how to sell your book online? Hunh? We here have no way of knowing what type of website you have, what CMS, what you're capable of doing, or not. I've linked you to my article on my website. If you want to put up a cart, ask your own webguy. YOu want to sell on your own site? Read my article to which I linked you; examine what type of eCommerce cart will go with your website's CMS, if one exists; and then go right on ahead. Nobody here cares whether you sell on Amazon, B&N, Bob's Book Store or your own website.

My article exists simply because my clients' various and sundry experiences seem to indicate that warning folks about trying it, might be worthwhile. Not ONE company, out of all of them, managed to continue with it for more than 6 months. They all grew to hate the sound of the phone ringing or seeing an email to "support" come in. Wasn't worth it to them. Oh, yeah, that, and, they hardly sold ANYTHING on their websites, compared to what they sold on Amazon, B&N, iBooks, etc. But as I said; hey, it's your book. I genuinely don't give two hoots about what you choose as your sales mechanism. It's utterly irrelevant to me in any form, manner, shape or fashion.

I was talking about not getting anymore information from Amazon beyond the contract... I read enough of it to know I'm not sure you understand it either. It is open ended : they and they only can change the rules any time they want and it is up for you to read and understand all the updates to said contract endlessly. This is like playing with a little kid making up the rules to the card game as you go. Ask your attorney, if I'm wrong you can make me feel like I'm on defense for asking for information.

First, a contract that is weighted on the side of one party isn't "open-ended." In contract law, in the US, open-ended means "a contract which permits the buyer to make purchases over a period of time, without change in the price or terms by seller." That's what "open-ended" means. Black's, pp.984, Fifth Edition.

Secondly, yes, it's weighted in their favor, but YOU can cancel your contract with them at ANY time. If they make a change in the payment structure, they notify you, in ADVANCE, and you can opt out right there and then. That's as fair a set of terms as any author in history has received. Quite obviously, authors are making more money with Amazon than anyplace else--otherwise, they'd have abandoned ship in droves. Of course it's weighted in their favor--who has more money into this, you or them? Who paid for the infrastructure, the bandwidth, the design and creation of the devices, etc.? It wasn't the writers, was it?

Thirdly, I'm not trying to make you feel "defensive" when you ask for information. But you're not ASKING. You're opining, for one thing, and rather a lot on topics about which you know absolutely nothing, like the royalty structure at Amazon. Anyone here will tell you that I like to help newbies, and I love a good discussion. I have no interest, though, in discussing or debating a topic about which someone has made assertions, only to find out that they don't know the first thing about which they are complaining. Or opining. Why would I enjoy that?

Anyway, either decide if you are a newbie, and need help; or if you are going to want to complain and discuss topics with us, arguing about whether or not Amazon is "fair," when you haven't even bothered to read the entire FAQ that they publish, with pretty much EVERYTHING in it about the publishing game. Did you go here: https://kdp.amazon.com/help?topicId=A3R2IZDC42DJW6 and read any of it? ANY of it?

I don't know what PD is... https://archive.org/ when I pick a 1880 scholarly book it has major problems like not being able to distinguish between the text and the foot notes, and words like 000098100000B, maybe this is what Amazon is tired of aka people selling stuff that is no good.

PD means "public domain." Before you respond on that front, I strongly recommend that you visit Project Gutenberg, and see if you can find books there that will suit you. In other words, these are books that have fallen out of print and out of copyright. Is it possible that you'll have to do a little clean-up, on a PG book? Yes, but you should also check here first, at MR, to see if one of the Merry MR Minions has made a cleaned-up copy of that same book available here in a number of formats.

Doesn't Createspace use OCR?PD? I think they do, why would you send me there? eschwartz said to learn html and other stuff, which I have a lot better understanding of now. Optical Recognition doesn't understand words that aren’t in dictionaries per se, it is impossible. It is going to put out the digits alike I already demonstrated.

No. Createspace doesn't use OCR. Where do you get this stuff? And they don't deal in Public Domain books. I didn't SEND you there. You asked if Amazon would make your eBook, and I told you about an ebook-making option at Createspace, which is owned by Amazon. Right?

And given that your experience and expertise with OCR is about, what, a month old?--I think you're a bit ahead of yourself on opining as to what OCR understands, or doesn't. A good scanner (like Stan Drew at Golden Images) can make AbbyyFineReader sit up and beg.

Library : it is from many sources, I can't recall... Library review board... Oh, if you sign in on amazon you can basically jump around all you want (depending on how the contract floats around) and extract information from just about any book, I've done it many times, mainly because I may really want to read it as a real paper book, but can't afford them all and it helps on prudence.

First, I have NO idea what you mean about the "contract floating around." That seems utterly irrelevant to this discussion. A look Inside is a look inside is a look inside.

Secondly, There's a massive difference between opening the LITB, and reading something, and EXTRACTING the text from the Look Inside. You absolutely can't easily extract the TEXT or CONTENT of the Look Inside. Each paragraph of a LI is buried in some ungodly multi-layer divs. COULD it be done? Sure. If Google wanted it. If anyone actually wanted the book, they could just buy it, download it, then crack it open with anti-DRM tools, and put it up on the Darknet, for fun. Nobody in their right mind is stealing 10% of books through the LookInside.

But then, even if they did scrape the content from the LI...so what? The Look Inside is already shown on Amazon. Why would you even care if Google had the same amount of text, with a link to your book? Gotta tell you, it's more likely that they'll extract the text from YOUR webpage, than Amazon's...isn't it?

I give up. Maybe somebody else here will endeavor to assist you. I've obviously lost my mind, in continuing this.

Hitch

[Tiamat]

Hitch - 1st post : " I wrote and compiled a regular book and published it last summer. Now before the snow melts I need to make it into an ebook and want to sell it myself via my web site, solo."

Where have you addressed any of this? You go off on your own assumptions and totally disregard the topic, how do you explain that? I think you do have an agenda, of some twisted sort, I've been overtly nice and you continue to deride.

Be pissed you started it.

[PeterT]

I think you'd be better off discussing this in Writers' Corner

[Hitch]

Originally Posted by Tiamat

Hitch - 1st post : " I wrote and compiled a regular book and published it last summer. Now before the snow melts I need to make it into an ebook and want to sell it myself via my web site, solo."

Where have you addressed any of this? You go off on your own assumptions and totally disregard the topic, how do you explain that? I think you do have an agenda, of some twisted sort, I've been overtly nice and you continue to deride.

Be pissed you started it.

Excuse me? I posted the link to the article on my site about the pitfalls of publishing to your own website, for one thing. I provided the FAQ for Amazon, since, in the gibberish, it was mentioned. I'm not disregarding the topic--I thought you'd asked, as you consistently mentioned Amazon.

You know what my agenda is? Helping people who genuinely want help, or having debates/discussions with people who have informed opinions.

This is the WORKSHOP forum. This isn't about where you sell, your political beliefs, or anything like that. It's about how to make an EBOOK. Both eSchwartz, DaleDe and BetterRed have posted several things, tech-wise, to get you started doing that. I, like the idiot I am, attempted to address some of your other off-topic comments. That was stupid. I've utterly wasted my time.

So, since you have what you need, to make your BOOK, there's nothing left to discuss here, right? If you want to find people who will tell you how to set up your eCommerce downloads cart, etc., then Peter is correct--go to the Writer's Corner.

Oh, and by the way? Since you're SO worried about how Google, etc., will steal your content from Amazon's Look Inside? DRM by Adobe for an ePUB, to be sold off your own site, only costs about $6,200 (Sixty-Two Hundred Dollars). The training to learn how to use it is more. Or, you can hire a trained operator, who will cost about $2800/month.

There are no viable Open Source DRM solutions, and the Amazon solution for MOBI is proprietary.

There. Now I've helped you on the topic you say you want help on. Now we can part.

Hitch

[Tiamat]

Hitch – You have derailed my thread on purpose with your inflated ego and call it help like your bending over backwards, please... Your reading comprehension is atrocious, for just one example you attack repeatedly over a line that was said by someone else! And you say you know this contract and some legal director... The first two lines below are from that contract. The third is obvious...

The Program will change over time and the terms of this Agreement will need to change over time as well. We reserve the right to change the terms of this Agreement at any time in our sole discretion.

You are responsible for checking for updates and your continued use of the Program after we post changes will constitute your acceptance of the changes.

Open-Ended Agreement Definition : An agreement which leaves to one of the parties a certain amount of*discretion*to define the scope or precise measure of their obligations under it.

You sir clearly don't know what you are talking about and at the same time slander me repeatedly for being ignorant, when I came here to get information. I've been around the block numerous times and I know your type, I bet you are just as impressive in person as you are online. A regular know it all where one can't possibly have a normal conversation because you have to misdirect and veil the truth. Thanks a lot, you will win with your popularity here and now have inhibited me from accomplishing my goal on this forum, I hope you are happy. Now others will fear going out on their own and will have to resort to maybe a business like your own and go directly to Amazon. Personally, I don't think you are doing yourself any favors by attacking me (a new comer) and then proved wrong by the lowly ignorant indigent when he is up against such a successful giant who admittedly councils his clients in legal issues in which he knows nothing about.

BTW, I will read up on your advice, thanks, I don't hold grudges especially for those who just can't help but be abrasive and can't admit their short comings. It was just my opinion, your the one that turned this into a combative thread.

[HarryT]

Tiamet, with the very greatest respect, Hitch is one of the most knowledgeable and helpful people around here, and knows what she is talking about. You really should take more notice of the advice she's giving you. She has had the experience of seeing innumerable people making the same mistakes, and is trying (in vain) to stop you from making those same mistakes.

[Toxaris]

Wow, just wow. I never seen such a display of total ignorance and unwillingness to listen. You have no idea what you are talking about and your capability of judging people cannot be more wrong. Hitch is nothing like you described. She is one of the few professionals in the field that actually help and gives inside information for nothing in return. You would be foolish not to listen to her advice.

The first lines of the contract you posted are quite normal for this kind of services. What do you expect, that they create a new contract for every writer that thinks he can write? In almost all industries standard contracts are used, especially in a one-to-many way of doing business. The *only* thing I find strange, is that they place the responsibility of checking for updates at other side. If they change the rules, they should notify the other party. In a lot of countries it is not even allowed otherwise. Also, in a lot of countries you are free to break a contract if it is changed by one side.

You clearly underestimate the amount of effort, and money!, it takes to publish books yourself on your own site. Especially if you want to have it secure, which is a no-brainer I assume.

[PeterT]

I sense that the work in question is not one that will appeal to many people; rather to a very limited market.